When our organic mattress shoppers are not sleeping, they are no doubt
cooking healthy food. Although by eating fruit and veg, you may think you are being
healthy, but your washing regime maybe letting you down! Tests commissioned by
Government food watchdogs show that washing non organic fruit and vegetables
does not remove chemical pesticide residues. Pesticides are used in farming to
get rid of insects, fungus attacks and to stop some developing blemishes. By
washing them properly you can cut down on a lot of the chemicals you are
ingesting.
For example apples and potatoes, despite being washed before eating /
peeling and cooking respectively, still contained one chemical with links to
cancer, birth defects and infertility in recent studies. Washing poorly can
mean exposure to chemicals which inflame stomach lining, as well as increase
cancer risks.
Although the Food Standards Agency says that residues on fresh produce
in the UK are so low that there is no need to wash them. Many parents still
like to take precautions, because the amount of pesticides children are exposed
to in relation to their body weight can be more than that of adults. Green
campaigners also insist that there is a ‘cocktail effect’ of food crop
chemicals on human health, even at low levels.
Campaigner Nick Mole, of Pesticide Action Network UK, said: ‘Repeated
exposure to low doses and mixtures can have a deleterious effect on health,
especially amongst the more vulnerable groups such as children.
The FSA’s advice is that people wash fresh produce to ensure they are
clean and free from germs, rather than because there is a need to remove
residues.
A spokesman insisted the public should not be concerned by the findings.
However, if you add up all the fruit and veg you eat over a lifetime and
how much we try and feed the kids to keep them ‘healthy’ it feels like a bit of
a self defeating battle. Even if you buy organic fruit and veg, its still a
good idea to clean them thoroughly to get rid of germs and bacteria, so here’s
our top tips on washing fruit and veg to get rid of pesticides and waxes
1.
You can use a soapy solution containing water and standard
non anti bacterial washing up liquid, this works really well at lifting
off chemicals on the surface of the fruit and veg but you must make sure you
rinse the soapy solution off completely before cooking and eating.
2.
Mix one part vinegar to 2 parts water in a spray bottle,
spray on fruit and veg and then wash under clean water. This method can remove
up to 98% of bacteria from the surface. If you have longer, soak for 10 mins in
the vinegar solution, then wash and eat or cook as normal.
3.
Purchase a commercial fruit and veg cleaning spray
that contains no ammonia. This will remove waxes, pesticides, and bacteria
naturally
4. Make your own fruit and veg
cleaning spray-
Method 1
1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1 cup (250ml) of
water. Put the mixture in a spray-topped bottle. Spray the fruit or vegetables,
leave to sit for 5--10 minutes, then rinse well.
Method 2
1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons white vinegar (distilled works
best), 1 cup (250ml) water in a spray-topped bottle. Spray the fruit or
vegetables, wipe and eat.
For particularly waxy fruit or vegetables, try this mixture:
Method 3
1 cup (250ml) water, half a cup (115ml) vinegar, 1 tablespoon baking
soda and dash of grapefruit seed extract. Spray this onto the produce and leave
for an hour before rinsing and eating.
5. After washing as described above, peel or discard outer
layers where possible to get rid of most of the pesticides that remain on the
outside.
Only clean fruit and veg this way just before you eat or cook them,
otherwise they degrade more quickly.
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